Debate the issues facing Seattle Public Schools, share your opinions, read the latest news. Organize and work for high quality public schools that educate all students to become passionate, lifelong learners.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Tuesday Open Thread

Is your 5th grade and up student looking for a great sport that offers individual achievement as well as the benefits of participating on a team? Seattle Canoe & Kayak Club is having an Open House on Sunday, April 27th and Saturday, May 17th from 10 am -1 pm.

Come
join us at the Small Craft Center on Green Lake at 9:45AM. Get to see
the competitive Junior Team finish their training session, meet the
coaches of this exciting sport and then climb into the boats with our
team members to get a feel for what it is like to be in an Olympic style
Sprint Kayak or Canoe. You need to bring a parent/guardian to sign the
waiver and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet! Questions?
Contact Tami Oki at 524-1116 or tamaraoki@wonderanimal.com or the Green Lake Small Craft Center at 684-4074.

NFFTY (pronounced “Nifty”) stands for “National Film Festival
for Talented Youth” and is the largest youth film festival in the
world. But it’s not just for youth. NFFTY occurs each spring in Seattle,
Washington and is the premier showcase of the best young directors 22
and younger from around the world. The films of NFFTY represent the
voice of this generation, covering all topics and genres, from
compelling and provocative, to hilarious and uplifting. NFFTY has the
perfect film for a film fan of any age. (Editor's note: not all films are appropriate for all ages of children.)

42 comments:

I am still up-in-arms that SPS and Mahlum, the WilPac architect, are claiming that there was community and stakeholder involvement for the WilPac planning. Please, don't fall for it folks!

Melissa, the long WilPac document you posted yesterday was such a sales job/scam. All anyone needs to do is read the SDAT meeting minutes. And, naming Chris Cronas as the middle school planning Principal? Wasn't he just announced at a new school in the Fall? So much for planning. I think he attended one SDAT meeting.

If everyone could sign the petition, it would help get SPS's attention. The auditorium is just a starting point. There are many other issues with the project. This was identified by actual stakeholders as an item that could gain traction quickly. Please sign and please post on your Facebook pages asking people to sign!

@ Mirmac1:You have provided an SPS email address. As you are a vocal advocate of public disclosure requests, surely you know that is not a confidential option. If you could provide a non-SPS address, that would be more helpful. I will not attend in person. Thank you.

One of the biggest haranguers of the district on issues of data privacy cannot provide nor assure a private means to comment to the special education consultant?

No phone number? No non-SPS email? Instead we have to get up in front of parents and staff, write to a pta address that will be read by parents, or send it to an SPS address that can be searched by parents and staff?

A school district asked the police to prohibit certain students from setting foot on school property because their parents had privacy concerns about Common Core-aligned standardized testing, and wished to opt their kids out.

The incident happened at Marietta City Schools in Marietta, Georgia….

“They are collecting data on our children,” said Mary Finney in a statement. “Now, with Common Core there is such a large amount of information and data collected on children. People don’t realize it. We don’t want to sound like we’re wearing tin-foil hats, but they want to track our kids from kindergarten through college.”

The Finney family attempted to opt out of the tests, but administrators were unsure whether they were legally permitted to do so.

And then — at West Side Elementary School — a police officer barred the Finneys from setting foot on school property.If the kids weren’t going to take the tests, their presence at school was a “kind of trespassing thing,” according to the officer….(more)

@Mom and others - the announcement mentions that the outside consultants are all with LSU's "T.I.E.R.S." group - they have a website, and every member of that group has a phone number and/or email address listed. Don't know which will be attending tonight, but here's where the contact info can be found

@Blueglass: That contact information is a much better route for me. Thank you.

@ Dad - yes, besides being pretty private as an individual, I am quite concerned about retaliation. I think it is a valid concern and it would be one thing if it manifested itself on me - but on my child? No.

@ Jaw Dropped - yes, I was quite surprised that after all the talk about confidentiality by some SPEDvocates we are being asked to stand up in a room full of people. If I find that idea awful, I am guessing others might too. Part of the problem with the meetings is that I get embarrassed by my fellow parents almost as much as getting depressed about district actions. I guess I don't think that yelling and public meeting hostility from us parents is going to get us very far. But that's just me. I appreciate the advocacy but disagree with the approach a lot.

So I'm intending to do a private comment and also see about a lawyer, because my way of trying to be quietly forceful about my family's situation isn't working either. There don't appear to be good options in this district for getting results.

Thank you again fellow parents. I appreciate your helpfulness here a lot, including the other mom who offered to email for me.

did something break or change with fusion and/or the seattle schools website? i can't link to our elementary class calendar from a reminder email. been trying to reach a teacher's fusion page on and off during the day and my browser just spins, no error page. i just tried going to www.seattleschools.org and spins too. is it just me?!?

Some schools did wholesale upgrades of in-house computer systems over spring break; this could have something to do with localized outages.

[pause]

Or not: I can't get to seattleschools.org either. Seems like it's probably a JSCEE problem, although I to am in the north end (but geez, I'm not even trying to get onto my own fusion pages, just the district home page!).

And I would be happy to forward emails to appropriate addresses, with all identifiers stripped out, if anyone wants someone to do that for them. And I'll refuse to provide those identifiers, of course.

It's another option, I guess. (Given my history as an AS1 hell-raiser, I doubt the district would hire me next year anyway, so I'm not real worried about retribution.)

Yer hilarious. How can anyone non-SPS assure anyone else privacy, when the info is going to an SPS consultant. TIERS does not work for parents. I'm not going to make a promise I have NO control over. My successful OSPI complaints with respect to protecting student data under IDEA have netted measurable results. And, in fact, if anyone wants to be the most effective advocate, one must be willing to step up. But whatever. I'm sure, Jaw, you're doing much more work on behalf of student data privacy. See you there tonight.

Article in Seattle Magazine about special education in Seattle and the Exec. Dir.: http://www.seattlemag.com/article/can-new-director-fix-seattle-public-schools-floundering-special-education-department

@Diane - it doesn't seem like I can get to it now...weird. I went to the Fusion page by going to the school website, looking up the teacher, and then going to her Fusion page directly. It did work earlier but now all of the seattleschools.org sites seem to be out of service so can't do it now. Looks like whatever maintenance or updates they're doing is now widespread.

I'm at the open mic night. Parents are bonding together and expressing themselves very well. It is cathartic to think someone wants to listen. The consultants are running it in a professional manner (although they were late).

Looking at failing school building measures in flush Lake Washington District tonight as well as Everett, Lakewood and Snoqualmie. Makes the Wilson Pacific auditorium 'must have now' petition tin eared. Plan the auditorium now, but build it next BEX. We need core rehab throughout Seattle first.

I'm not surprised by the no votes on LWSD levy and Prop 1. LWSD needs to look at their numbers, needs, and ask themselves, did they engage and listen to their voters? Same with KC/metro and prop 1 supporters, especially the Chris Hansen like ilks. Around the water cooler, talks aren't the the wholesale rejection of people paying taxes, but the lack of accountability of these initiatives and levies. Some voted yes, but with much misgiving and cynicism. Others are 1st time nay voters.

The electorates are speaking with their votes and it has little to do with party line. There's a real strong belief that there is much waste as to what taxpayers get back from their investment. People are more wary and fatigued coming off a recession. Not everybody is a new hire at SLU or developer. You are looking at frustrated middle class, urban, suburban, and rural voters who are losing ground and clout.

I agree with a lot of what voter said, but it's a shame that the Lake Washington bond measure failed. It looks like a majority of the voters DID want it, but it has to pass by a super-majority. Getting 60 percent would be hard on any bond measure at this time of year, I would think. And they needed it, too -- some of the schools out in LWSD are really overcrowded.

Josh - try applying in Shoreline. They have an alternative-ish school there somewhere. A friend's kid attends, has been happy there. Not too far away from Seattle... I would be happy to email anything Sped parents need emailed but are worried to send. There are also sites like Guerrilla Mail, Mailinator, and Airmail that will allow you to use a "disposable" email address so you can share info without facing retribution.

"And, naming Chris Cronas as the middle school planning Principal? Wasn't he just announced at a new school in the Fall? So much for planning. I think he attended one SDAT meeting." (from above...)

Why would they name Chris Cronas as planning principal for Wilson Pacific? If WP is going to be the home for APP and he doesn't like self-contained advanced learning, why would they choose him. He dismantled Spectrum at Wedgwood making families run to APP.NE Mom

If WP is going to be the home for APP and he doesn't like self-contained advanced learning, why would they choose him.

The delivery model for APP may change following the review of the task force. Perhaps they will no longer serve the students in a self-contained model. JAMS is certainly going to be doing something different. What that is, it isn't clear.

At the MS and HS levels, there's a fair bit of sorting based on interest, ability, and achievement rather than on labels already. In my mind that's a good thing. Not all APP kids are ready for algebra in 6th grade. This allows kids who are not APP, but highly capable in math/science (or LAs) to access these advance classes earlier too.

I'm more concerned that advanced level work is available and that classes identified as advanced truly offer higher level work. Single subject qualification in MS makes sense as long as appropriate and flexible pathways are available through MS and HS.

Not all APP kids are ready for algebra in 6th grade.Well, no, that's why the typical APP math pathway is Algebra in 7th grade. Very few students, APP or not, are ready for Algebra in 6th grade.

OSPI EOC results from past three years, with number of those 7th and lower taking Geometry EOC (meaning successfully completed Algebra in 6th):

2012-13: 112011-12: 32010-11: 11

There will be a bump in this year's numbers as last year HIMS lifted their ban on 6th graders taking Algebra.

Students working at an advanced math level should be given an opportunity to take advanced science classes, just as those advanced in LA should be given a chance to take advanced LA classes (even if they aren't advanced in math). But aren't we still talking abut access to ability based classes?

I'd agree with Charlie re: W-P and APP, and argue that the current state of APP at Hamilton is another signal that the district intends to dismantle APP.

If HIMS APP isn't preparing kids to move on to the AP history course they've traditionally taken in 9th grade at Garfield, and if the district's solution is to just make everyone take a lower level course instead--rather than work to ensure that HIMS APP teaches what these kids need and were supposed to be getting--then that pretty much says it all to me. The district's position is that APP doesn't prepare these kids any better than any other middle school program, so then why bother to keep it? The recent policy change at Garfield seems to provide the "evidence" they need.

(For those interested but not up to speed on the recent issues, refer to the recent APP blog conversations.)

Education Acroynms

Advanced Learning - SPS' three-tier program for advanced learners. Made up of APP, Spectrum and ALOs. (Note: the name of the district program is "Advanced Learning Services and Programs" but these three programs fall under "Highly Capable Services" of AL Services and Programs.

ALO - Advanced Learning Opportunity, the third tier of SPS' Advanced Learning program

AP - Advanced Placement. A national program of college-level classes given in high schools.

APP - Accelerated Progress Program. One of the levels of the Advanced Learning Program. NOTE: the name of this program is now "HIGHLY CAPABLE COHORT." This change occurred in 2014.

ASB - Associated Student Body. High school leadership groups.

AYP - Adequate Yearly Progress. Part of NCLB.

BEX - Building Excellence. SPS' capital renovation/rebuilding program that is funded via the BEX levy. Every 3 years there is the Operations levy and either the BEX or BTA levies as those two levies rotate in six year cycles).

BLT - Building Leadership Team. Staff members at a school who meet regularly to discuss building issues.

BTA - Buildings, Technology, Academics. The major maintenance/other capital fund for SPS. Originally BTA was to cover major maintenance like HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), roofs, waterlines, etc.) but now covers wide swaths of items like athletic fields, technology and funding academic needs.

CAICEE - Community Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence. Created by former Superintendent Manhas in 2008, to issue a report about reform recommendations for SPS.

CSIP - Continuous School Improvement Plan, the plan for improvement for each school as required by state law.

EOC - End of Course Assessments, given in math and science, required for high school graduationESEA - Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the federal law that governs education, includes the NCLB accountability provisions.

e-STEM or e-STEAM - STEM or STEAM curriculum with an environmental focus.

FACMAC - Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee. A district committee comprises of an all-volunteer citizen group created in 2012 to help bring research and ideas to capacity management issues in the district.

FERPA - Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law that protects students' privacy

FRL - Free and reduced lunch.

FTE - Full Time Equivalent

FY - Fiscal Year

Highly Capable Services - NEW name (as of 2014) as umbrella name for these programs: Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), Spectrum and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities).

HSPE - High School Proficiency Exam, state assessment that replaced the WASL for 10th graders, required for graduation

HQT - Highly Qualified Teacher, a standard set by federal law

IA - Instructional Assistant

IB - International Baccalaureate program. An international program of advanced classes that can either be taken as stand alone or as part of an overall IB program.

IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that governs special education

MAP - Measures of Academic Progress. A computer-based adaptive assessment made by NWEA and originally purchased by the district for use as a district-wide formative assessment but now used for a wide variety of purposes.

MSP - Measurement of Student Progress, the state proficiency assessment that replaced the WASL for students in grades 1-8

MTSS - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

NCLB - No Child Left Behind, a provision of the federal education law, ESEA, introduced during the George W. Bush administration